Rise and Shine: A new budget means more money — but higher stakes

With his signature on a state education budget that included tough new consequences for low-performing schools, Gov. Rick Snyder yesterday raised the stakes for dozens of schools across the state that were saved from closure last year.

Scroll down for more details, plus check out our story on a new $3 million effort to improve the quality and offerings at Detroit preschool and childcare facilities. We have details on the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that delivered a blow to teachers unions across the country.

And, we heard from a Detroit preschool teacher about how she works to meet the needs of her students. This teacher was featured as part of our “story booth” series that features students, parents, and educators sharing their Detroit education stories. If you know someone who should be in a future story booth, please let us know.

Also, if you haven’t yet taken our annual reader survey, now’s a great time to do that. You can find it here. Have a great weekend!

— Erin Einhorn, Bureau Chief

Rise & Shine is Chalkbeat’s morning digest of education news. Subscribe to have it delivered to your inbox, or forward to a friend who cares about public education.

HIGH STAKESThe state education budget raises per-student funding for schools across the state but also includes a requirement that schools that signed “partnership” agreements to stay open last year meet the improvement targets spelled out by those agreements. If they don’t, the budget calls for them to be closed or “reconstituted.” ChalkbeatThe Detroit NewsAP

EARLY EDA new $3 million grant program is one of the largest investments so far from one of the two foundations behind an ambitious 10-year plan to improve the lives of young children in Detroit. It will fund organizations that can provide services like arts and culture, nutrition, and social and emotional support to licensed childcare facilities. ChalkbeatThe Detroit News

TEACHERS UNIONS The U.S. Supreme Court delivered a blow to the nation’s teachers unions this week. As unions vow to continue their fight, Michigan unions, which absorbed a similar blow from the state Legislature several years ago, have become a resource for their peers across the country. Chalkbeat National Chalkbeat Detroit

ROCK STARThis Detroit district teacher became emotional when talking about the work she does to help her young students. “I want them to know they’re loved, and that they’re safe,” she said. Chalkbeat

LOCAL CONTROLThe Highland Park school district returned to the control of a locally elected school board, marking the first time in 18 years that no school districts or municipalities in Michigan are under the control of state-appointed emergency managers. Department of TreasuryCrain’sThe Detroit News

RECRUIT The main Detroit district held a recruiting event targeted at arts and music teachers, aiming to expand those courses at all schools in the fall. WDIV

TALENT An 18-year-old Detroit cellist bound for Juilliard started his education in Detroit’s main district, where his mother was a teacher. But she moved him to a private school when his talent outpaced the arts education available to him. Michigan Radio